The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
by Rockin'ItMeStyle
Summary: "Do not be a fool, Harry Potter. Your sister is coveted by every dark witch and wizard alive, and there isn't a thing you can do about it. Leave her to her fate, boy." RatedT/MildLanguage/Pre-DH
1. Prelude

_Poor little Annalise... it's all right, you can let go now. Open yourself to me, and you can find your peace._

_But what about my brother?_

_Dear girl, he is fine. I will take care of him for you, if only you let me._

_Can I see him?_

_While I have you... open yourself to me, open your eyes, Annalise._

The rational voice at the back of her head screamed at her not to listen to this unknown unfluence, but there was also a strange part of her that wanted to do as this voice said. Her eyelids fluttered open.

"Annalise! She's alive!" A boy appeared in her vision and she squinted.

"Draco..." She could see her hand raise up, but knew that she was not the one to raise it.

"It's okay, Anna, we'll get you fixed up. You'll be okay." He looked like he barely believed his words.

"I need to tell you something, Draco..." Annalise whispered. He leaned forward and she grabbed the back of his neck pulling him down faster. Her lips whispered against his ear.

"You did not follow my orders, Draco," Her voice was as cold as ice. "And now, you will pay for it."

Before he could try and get away from her, her hand shot up and a look of shock replaced his expression of confusion. He leaned back and stared down at the dagger in his stomach.


	2. Chapter I

She sighed and dropped her quill onto the table, finally deciding to give up on McGonagall's essay. Annalise hadn't slept properly in days, and a dull ache was starting just behind her eyes. She rubbed her face and rolled up her parchment, shoving it into her bag just as a student walked up to her.

"Annalise Potter?"

"You're looking at her," She sighed, slinging her bag across her shoulder.

"The Headmaster wants you in his office." It was obvious the boy was a second year. He stood straight, so he wasn't nervous to be around a seventh year like a first year would, but he still looked extremely nervous.

"Do you know what he needs me for?" She asked, stacking her few books and shoving those in her bag as well. She grimaced at the weight placed on her shoulder, but didn't try to lighten it in any way.

The boy shook his head. "No, I was in class and he just told me to find you. But he was serious, and you know how Snape is these days."

Annalise snorted and followed the boy out. "Yeah, I've been in his class for seven straight years. I should know."

They walked down the halls, and up a few flights of stairs. Annalise would have thought that Snape would have taken Dumbledore's old office, but no, he wanted to use one of the larger abandoned classrooms that were down near the dungeons. It suited his personality, in her opinion.

The second year smiled at her as he headed back for the stairs. "Good luck, Potter, I think you'll need it."

"Thanks," She turned towards the door, but then turned back to the retreating boy. "Hey, I never got your name."

"Ethan," He said. "Ethan Chase."

He ran up the stairs and was gone in seconds. Annalise sighed and turned back to the door. _Whatever he wants, _she thought to herself, _he had better make it quick._

She twisted the door handle and walked into the room. She glanced around, but Snape was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged and set her bag down by the door. Annalise turned to the many jars shelved against the wall. She peered into a large jar with a small fish-like creature inside. She reached forward and tapped the jar. It's eyes snapped open and she retracted her hand with a small squeak.

"It would be wise not to touch things that do not belong to you, Miss Potter."

Annalise turned and saw the headmaster sitting at his desk, his fingers folded in front of his chest. "Your brother had the same problem," Snape said in a bored, drawling tone. "It got him into a lot of trouble while he was here."

"Am I here so you can insult Harry to my face or is there an actual reason why you needed me?" It took Annalise a great deal of effort to keep her tone in check but her anger still came through quite clearly.

"Actually, Miss Potter," He stood and took his time to walk around his desk. He leaned against it and folded his hands in front of him. "We have been searching for your brother, but so far we have no leads."

Annalise shrugged as if she didn't care, but he knew better. "I know that you have been in contact with the boy. It would be prudent to tell me what you know."

"I don't know anything," She sneered. "He left me here, when he left, and since I haven't had a single word from my brother."

Snape's jaw tensed and Annalise crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. "It would not be smart to lie, Potter. You know the consequences of those who try to conceal him."

"I don't know _anything_," She emphasized. Snape crossed the room in an instant, grabbing her chin, forcing her to look up at him. A silent hatred passed between the two and he threw her across the room. She stumbled back into a desk and yelped as pain lanced through her side.

"Get out of my office, now!"

Annalise grabbed her bag and was out in seconds.

* * *

><p>Annalise couldn't believe that Snape had physically tried to get her to tell him where Harry was. She would never tell anyone, except for those both she and her brother trusted, which were few.<p>

"He's so stupid!" She hissed aloud.

"Password?" The Fat Lady looked down at Annalise with a sad expectancy.

"Light over darkness."

The Fat Lady smiled and her portrait swung aside like a door with a mind of its own. Annalise stepped through and, in a sudden round of anger, threw her bag at the wall. She heard a small pop as her ink bottle shattered. She walked a small ways forward and collapsed into a chair, rubbing her temples. Her head was throbbing as if it owned a pulse.

"Anna?"

Annalise looked up at Neville, who had just walked into the common area in enough time to see her collapse. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Neville," She told him. "It's just a headache."

He nodded and sat down beside her. Annalise stared at the dying fire mournfully. Neville took her hand in his and she turned her gaze on him. "You look tired," he noted. She shrugged.

"You can't work yourself to death trying to save him, Anna," He said. "You have to worry about yourself, too, sometimes."

"It's worth a shot," She whispered.

Harry hadn't tried to contact her since he had fled to Sirius's house after Bill and Fluer's wedding. Annalise remembered wanting to go with him, but being forced to stay at Hogwarts with the others.

_"No, you can't come," he said. "You need to stay here."_

_"But I want to come with you, I want to be sure that you're safe, Harry."_

_He shook his head, his green eyes filled with grief. It was only hours before the wedding, and Ginny had attempted to make Annalise look like she was the happy girl she had been a few years go, but the dark circles under her eyes couldn't be disguised._

_"I know Anna, but I will try to talk to you as much as I'm able."_

_"Harry—"_

_"I can't lose you," he whispered, pulling her into a hug, effectively cutting off her refusal to stay at Hogwarts. "You're my little sister, and the only family I have left. You're safer where you are."_

_"I'll miss you…"_

_"I'll miss you too, Anna, but I'll see you again soon."_

She leaned against Neville and tried to shut out the memory. If people that didn't know the two had walked in just then, they would have thought they were interrupting a romantic moment. But no, it was anything but. Annalise and Neville had once tried to be something more, but it hadn't worked as well as they had hoped, so they settled on being friends, and over time their bond had grown to one like a brother and sisters.

"Come on," Neville said, wrapping a supportive arm around her waist. "The Carrows know our passoword now, so the DA members are staying in the Room of Requirement."

Annalise nodded and let him guide her down the halls and up the stairs. Her headache was getting worse with every step, and she was beginning to stumble more often.

They stopped in front of a wall, and Neville closed his eyes. A door began to materialize before them. "If you ever come here alone," Neville said as they walked inside. "Just say in your head, I am part of Dumbledore's Army and fight for good, the door will appear."

Annalise nodded. They walked into a large room filled beds and chairs and even hammocks tied way up near the ceiling. "Amazing," Annalise murmured. "Is there enough room for more?"

"For tonight, I was going to let you use my bed. Tomorrow evening we'll have the room expanded and rearranged so we can add another bed."

"Neville, I can't—"

"No, it's okay," He smiled at her. "We have plenty of pillows and blankets, so I can clear a spot on the floor. I'll be fine, it's you that I'm worried about."

They stepped over strewn pillows and books and bags, leading toward an unkempt bed. It was kind of like the canopy beds in the dorm rooms, but smaller, able to hold one or two rather than four or five.

"This is yours, for now. I'll be back, but you can go ahead and try to sleep."

Annalise looked around the room, at all of the sleeping students. Very few were still awake, and the ones that were were attending to each others injuries. She frowned and slowly sat down on her bed. There was nothing that she could do to change her best friend's mind. So, Annalise curled up under the blanket and closed her eyes.

* * *

><p><em>Her heart was beating faster, and her fear was growing, but what did she really have to fear? Although, there was an edge of familiarity that irked her. <em>

_Annalise stood in the middle of a clearing, not wearing what she had remembered dressing herself in. She was in a long-sleeved black t-shirt and a pair of denim blue jeans. She was barefoot, however, and her dark red hair fell down to her shoulders._

_"Anna?"_

_She spun around and saw Harry walking into the clearing. Tears welled in her eyes and she ran towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt his arms around her waist. It was like her mind was playing tricks on her._

_"How are you here, Anna?" Harry held her back at arms length._

_"I-I don't know," She shook her head, but was too happy about seeing her brother alive and okay to really realize what he was saying. She reached for him again. "I missed you so much."_

_"Anna," He frowned. "Are you still at Hogwarts?"_

_She sniffed. "Of course—" She looked around when he gave her a look that said he was sure she wasn't._

_"This is a forest along the borders of Ireland. How did you get here Anna? You can't be here!"_

_Annalise shook her head. "But I am at Hogwarts! I remember falling asleep and—"_

_"This is a dream," Harry nodded. His eyes seemed to change, his pupils turning to slits and the bright green dulling and beginning to burn a bright red. His skin paled dramatically._

_"I'll kill him," Said a voice so cold, Annalise knew it could never belong to her brother. Suddenly, Harry convulsed on himself, his face contorted in agony. _

_"Harry!"_


	3. Chapter II

"Harry!"

He tried to hold her arms down, but it was too dark, and he didn't want to hurt her.

"Harry!"

"Annalise, wake up!" Neville grabbed one of her wrists and pinned it to the bed. Her eyes snapped open, fear and grief the dominant emotions.

"Neville? Where am I? Where is Harry?"

"Harry isn't here, he left," He said.

She bit back a sob and closed her eyes. The agony on her brother's face flashed through her mind.

Neville hated seeing her in so much pain. He couldn't even begin to fathom how she felt, but he could sympathize. She had never been away from Harry, save for the years that she hadn't know him. They had truly become brother and sister in the past seven years. Harry had even convinced his aunt and uncle to take Annalise in.

Neville hesitantly lay beside her and pulled her to him. She buried her head against his chest, her whole body shaking with the grief she was trying to keep silent. Neville smoothed her hair back away from her face, and they laid together like for what seemed like hours.

Annalise sniffed and looked up at him with wet, red eyes. She tried to smile at him, but it didn't quite look right. He laughed and she hiccupped. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Neville nodded.

"Is it late?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No, actually. It's about an hour before breakfast."

Annalise sat up on her knees and looked around. "Is there a bathroom in here, or do I have to leave here to get ready?"

"No, we have everything we need here. The girls' washroom is near the back, and to the right."

"Thanks," She kissed his cheek and quickly walked off towards the bathroom. Neville watched her leave, anxiety ringing through him. There was a feeling of dread he just couldn't shake.

* * *

><p>"Today is the official start of the new semester," Alecto Carrow walked down the aisle of desks. The students sat straight in their seats, looking ahead. They knew that punishment would come if they didn't. "So I thought it would be a treat if I were to start off the semester with a project."<p>

Hesitantly, a Gryffindor raised her hand. "Sir, if I may, what kind of project?"

"I was getting to that!" He snapped furiously. The Gryffindor flinched and nodded meekly. "I will assign partners and the dragon you will be studying."

"Dragon?" Annalise blurted. Alecto Carrow grinned wickedly, pleased by her reaction.

"Yes, Miss Potter, _dragons_."

Annalise sat back in her seat, not truly registering what he had just said.

"I will be assign your partners now, but before I do, a few rules. You must be with your partner at all times. This means breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And even at night, when everyone must be going to bed. You will be paired according to gender, not House, so that this will not be a problem."

He gave the class a stern look before he continued. "And you will write a report about everything you have researched on your dragon. Then after the reports have been turned in, we will be able to view our dragons in person and you will write an individual report about your experience. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," The class said in unison.

"Good, now," he smiled to himself. "Pansy Parkinson and Parvati Patil."

Pansy glared at the Gryffindor, a vicious gleam in her eyes. She was definitely not please about not being able to be paired with Draco. "You two will be studying the Swedish Short-Snout."

"Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini, you both will study the Hebridean Black."

"Millicent Bulstrode and Lavender Brown, the Common Welsh Green."

"Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang, the Peruvian Vipertooth."

"Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe, the Chinese Fireball. This dragon has another less common name, which you must include in your report."

"Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom, you two get the Norwegian Ridgeback."

"And last but not least, Draco Malfoy and Annalise Potter. You two get the Hungarian Horntail."

"But professor! They aren't the same gender, how is that fair to the rest of us?" Pansy shouted, horrified and furious.

Alecto Carrow glared at the Slytherin. "You will not use that tone with me, Miss Parkinson. What I say goes, and it's none of your business why I paired the two. Speak in my class like that again, and you will suffer the consequences."

"Now, if any of you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. Class dismissed."

Annalise stood and walked over to Draco. He looked up at her, his expression mildly shocked. He had only slightly expected her to react this way. He knew her to be the more level-headed Potter.

"You knew we would be partners," She snapped.

"No, I didn't actually," Draco stood and gathered his things. "But if you would rather yell at me the entire time, feel free."

She blinked. "What?"

He smirked, happy to catch her off guard. "Yeah, I mean, it will just make me feel better about the rest of my day."

Annalise shook her head in disgust. "Whatever, Malfoy." She paused. "So how do you want to do this?"

"Library. We can do that every night after dinner."

"I'm sorry?"

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. He grabbed Annalise's arm and dragged her over to the professors desk. Carrow looked up from his papers and folded his hands under her chin. "What can I do for you two?"

"Can you please explain to Potter how this whole partner thing is going to work. She doesn't seem to get it."

Carrow smirked. "Ah, I see. Miss Potter, it was a true inconvinience that I had to pair you to Mr. Malfoy, but it had to be done. I did not have enough children of the same gender to pair, and being my two most responsible students, I trust that this partnership will not be a problem."

"You trust this git? To be in the same vicinity as a female?" Annalise questioned, awestruck. "Are you kidding me?"

"Like I said, you two are my most responsible students. Now as far as housing goes, you will be in a spare Head Boy and Girl dorm. Two rooms, a washroom and even a sitting area and a kitchen. That should be plenty."

"But-"

"I have faith in the two of you. Good luck." Alecto gestured for them to leave, and Annalise stomped out ahead of Draco. She rounded on him and accusingly stabbed his chest with her index finger.

"Don't get any ideas, Malfoy. No tricks, no nothing, because when sharing a dorm with scum like you, I have no problem hexing you." She hissed.

Draco held up his hands in surrender, a smirk plastered to his face. "Hey, I wouldn't dream of going anywheres near you. Believe me."

He turned on his heel and waved over his shoulder. "Might as well go pack, Potter. It's going to be a long semester."


End file.
